Simple Past Present Perfect Future Tense
by Evytheworm
Summary: This is a reading the books story with little twists and does not follow the prologue. The Weasleys along with other friends read a set of Books which Dumbledore reckons are sent to him from the future. A few time-travelers join them to help them go through... And they'll have to put the differences past each other and learn more about each other..
1. Prologue1

**Another story! This one will only be updated when I have time but I wanted to do this from a long time so I did. And this IS a reading the books story, only there will be about two chapters of prologue before the reading commences.. There will be a slight twist in this one and I'm sure you're gonna enjoy that.. **

**The usual Disclaimers apply and I hope you like it:**

31|7|90:

Remus Lupin, against his better judgement, had decided to visit his nephew, Harry Potter, on his tenth birthday. He had been told by Albus Dumbledore that Harry was living with Lily's sister at Privet Drive. He had controlled himself hard for the past nine years, what with the murder of his best friends and one turned traitor. He heaved a deep sigh as he stood outside the front door of 4, Privet Drive, Surrey.

After hearing the occupants of the house listening to the television, doing the dishes and doing things in the back garden, he knocked three times on the door. After a few moments, a large man with no neck with no neck opened the door. He studied him with small eyes before asking "Yes? May I help you?" though his tone said he might do anything but.

"Who is it Ve-" came a shrill voice from inside the living room but Petunia stopped dead on seeing the last person she expected on the door.

"Good morning Petunia. How are you?" Remus said, his eyes meeting hers in a staring match, much to the surprise of the other two occupants of the room.

"Hello Lupin." she said, in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. She moved automatically to the living room, followed by the others. Remus settled at the chair facing the other three, his eyes looking questioningly at Petunia once again, after he had taken a good look at her pudgy son.

Vernon had been unusually quiet till now but couldn't control himself anymore. "Who are you? And how do you know her?" he bellowed suddenly, making Lupin rub his ears. But He just spared him a withering glance which surprisingly shut him up.

"What do you want from us?" Petunia asked coldly, wanting him out of her house as fast as possible.

Lupin, too decided to talk to the point, as he himself was getting anxious to meet his nephew. "Albus told me Harry is living here. I wanted to meet him."

The reaction to his words was sudden. He had already expected this, he knew how against magic they were. Vernon got up from his seat and looked ready to run him over.

"You are not allowed to meet him!" he bellowed, throwing sprays of spit all around.

The band Remus had tried to control himself with, broke. Who was this man to stop him from seeing his nephew? He had no right to do that. But before Remus could act, a voice stopped his train of thought. "The dishes are done." a small voice said from a door at his back.

Vernon and Petunia were frozen with anticipation. Remus turned whirled around to face a small boy, who reached around his waist and who had messy black hair sticking up on all ends and also brilliant green eyes which reflected curiosity.

Remus was frozen when he first comprehended what Harry had said. Then he turned towards the Dursleys, with a golden glint to his eyes, which already scared them out of their skins, the glare on his face, adding in.

"How dare you?" he said, in his dangerously calm voice, the growl between the words not missed by the others. "It does not concern you how we keep him." Vernon said bravely, but it was the wrong thing to say.

Remus let out a bitter half-laugh half-snarl. Oh no, they weren't going to 'keep him' at all now. He wasn't going to leave Harry with these horrible people. "Oh he's not going to satay here with you anymore! You filthy, insolent, little-"

Harry's voice once again stopped him mid-rant. "Shall I go?" he asked, eyes upon Vernon. A fresh wave of anger bubbled up inside Remus. His nephew could do anything he liked without having to ask these vile animals.

He turned around to face Harry once again and found him cowering against the door. "No. You'll not be going anywhere, Harry. Not just yet, if you don;t mind." he told him softly, amber eyes never leaving green.

Harry nodded dumbly. "He's coming on a walk with me. And none of you-" he pointed a threatening finger in the Dursleys direction, "-is going to stop me." Then he turned towards the little boy again. He didn't want to speak anything, he was sure he would cry.

"Can I take you out for a walk Harry?" he asked in a strangled, breathy voice.

The strange man's eyes were so full of hope that Harry couldn't say no. Moreover, there was a sense of safety and mostly, familiarity near the stranger, which surprised Harry and he was curious to know more about him and also how he knew Harry's name; the Dursleys never introduced him to their guests.

So nodded and said "Yeah. S-Sure." The stranger walked towards the door, Harry following closely. The man didn't look back once and after he was out of the street and nearby houses, he suddenly turned around and faced Harry.

Harry was surprised to see that his amber eyes were now brimming with unshed tears. He crouched down to Harry's level and caight hold of his small hands within his scarry and blistered ones. He smiled a watery smile and asked him, "Do you remember me, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, hoping that it was clear to show how confused he was. The man just chuckled and squeezed his hands before letting go.

"I'm Remus Lupin. Your Dad's friend." he said and Remus was surprised to see Harry's eyes widen. Had they not told him anything at all?!

"D-Dad's f'friend?" Harry squeaked. He had never met his Dad. Or he wasn't sure if he had. He just remembered nothing about his parents except that they died in a car accident.

"Yes." Remus whispered and surprisingly, pulled him into a firm hug.

"Harry, what do you know about your parents?" Remus asked once he had let go. Remus was sad that Harry hadn't hugged him back, just stiffened; but he had a sneaking suspicion that he had never been hugged before. And if that was the case...

"Aunt and Uncle told me that they died in a car crash and that my mother was Aunt's sister." Harry said, his pulse quickening at the prospect of knowing more his family.

Remus was horrified. And angry. Very angry. How could they do this to him? Such a small boy? Didn't even know his parents? Unaware, Remus' eyes had changed from the usual amber to the wolf's golden colour.

Harry was surprised to see the sudden anger on Remus' face and even more so when he saw his eyes changed colour. He nudged Remus lightly to bring him out of his thoughts.

"Harry, I need you to come with me. But I'll have to inform the Dursleys first." he told urgently, catching Harry's hand and walking back to No. 4.

Harry didn't mind in the least. He was glad to get away from the house for as much time as possible, so he just nodded and went along with Remus. He thought Remus was quite cool as he could change his eye colour and also the Dursleys seemed to be afraid of him.

Remus entered the house without knocking this time and was glad to see the Dursleys in the living room. They looked shocked to see him but it didn't deter him.

"Harry will be coming with me for some time. As I have to provide him information he hasn't been told." he glared at the Dursleys, who looke dquite horrified at his proclamation. Before Vernon could stop him, Remus caught hold of Harry's hand tightly and Harry had expected him to walk towards the door but Remus just glowered at the Dursleys once more, before Harry felt a pull directly behind his navel and the next second, felt like he was being sucked into a tube.

**Thanks for reading this and giving it a try! It would be great if some of you would honour it with a review. They are appreciated. :)**

**I hope that all who read it, liked it. If not so, don't hesitate in pointing out any mistakes. **

**Thanks very much for reading,**

**Evy :)**


	2. Prologue2

**I updated sooner! Hope you enjoy this part! It's loooonngg.. I covered up the whole background story of how the main ones get there..**

**Usual Disclaimers! ENJOY! :D**

31|07|90:

Dumbledore was sitting peacefully in his office when there was a flash of bright red and gold and a package landed upon his office table. He performed a spell to check for any dark magic and opened the package once he was sure of it's safety.

There were seven books of varying thicknesses and a note on top of them.

_These are books from the future about Harry Potter's life, sent by a well-wisher. I would like it if the following people could be brought together to read:_

_Harry Pooter_

_Hermione Granger_

_Ronald Weasley_

_Draco Malfoy_

_Remus Lupin_

_Sirius Black[after the third book]_

_Neville Longbottom_

_Luna Lovegood_

_Ginny Weasley_

_Bill Weasley_

_Charlie Weasley_

_Fred Weasley_

_George Weasley_

_Percy Weasley_

_Arthur Weasley_

_Molly Weasley_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Severus Snape_

_Nymphadora Tonks_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

_Fluer Delacour[after third book]_

_Alastor Moody_

_There is an envelope enclosed which I suggest you open after the immediately needed people have gathered. I would also like to give you two warnings:_

_Firstly, Harry Potter's 18 years old self will be joining you. I have already sent him the letter. He will also have a few guests with him._

_Secondly, try to change the fact that Ron and Hermione get too close, it doesn't end well._

_When all the people have joined you at in the Room Of Requirement, where you are supposed to read these, you may open the next envelope._

Dumbledore felt it would be better if he started collecting the people at once. He was highly curious about these books already, especially if they really were from the future. As soon as he thought this, a silver wolf appeared infront of him. It spoke in Remus Lupin's distinct clear voice.

"I have brought Harry at my place and explained everything. The muggles were not treating him well. I apologize for my rash decision but he needs to get away for some time at least. I hope you do not mind." Dumbledore felt that fortune was in his favour at least this time. So he sent Remus another patronus to inform him that Harry should stay there and come to Hogwarts along with him, in the afternoon. As soon as he did that, he decided to visit The Burrow first, as many of the people from the list were there.

Albus Dumbledore appeared outside the door of the Burrow with a pop. Molly Weasley, who was in the kitchen at that time, smiled at the old man and welcomed him inside.

"Good Morning Molly. I was here to ask a favour of you, if it doesn't bother much." he said, as the plump woman sat near him with a cup of tea.

"Oh yes, sure Albus. Whatever is it?"

"Well, you see, a few minutes ago, I recieved seven books, supposedly from the future. They're about the life of Harry Potter and all the Weasley's names are there in the list of people who need to be present during the reading. So I was just hoping that you'd be able to make it to Hogwarts this afternoon? If you've got no plans already, that is." he told the shocked witch in a calm and cheery voice.

"Oh no, we didn't really have any plans at all. At least for a month or so. I'm sure we'll all be able to make it. But are you sure it's safe?" she asked in a small voice but Dumbledore merely chuckled.

"I'm sure Molly. So will you be coming along with the kids?"

"Oh yes. Though can I just tell them that we'll be visiting Hogwarts for some work? Fred and George would make a racket if they come to know we're going to read books, and from the future too." Molly said apologetically and Albus merely smiled and approved.

After exchanging a few bits of chit-chat, the old wizard left The Burrow with another pop.

June, 1998.

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were standing outside the front door of a small country house in the USA. Harry didn't know the city or even the state. He only knew that the Dursleys had been shifted to the USA for their safety as the war had not reached this part yet. He had got the information from Kingsley a few hours ago and had immediately decided to visit them, to inform them that it was over.

So here he was now. He knocked on the door twice and Vernon Dursley answered in clear, panicked tones- "Who's there?"

Harry smirked to himself and answered as Hermione went a little to the far side and took to exploring the area around to give him some privacy. Harry answered in a calm voice. "It's me, Harry Potter."

But to his surprise, Uncle Vernon didn't open the door, instead he questioned back. "What was the last Christmas gift we sent you?"

Harry was stumped to say the least, the normal wizard method of security being used by these muggles. But he answered anyway "A single tissue was what you gave me, in my fourth year. You didn't bother sending any after that. If you're still not satisfied, then I can tell that Aunt Petunia called Dudley Diddikins, Dudders, Popkin-"

The door opened immediately and Harry found a rifle in his face. He smirked at his Uncle, who was still as beefy as ever. After scrutinizing him for a minute or so, he let Harry in. Aunt Petunia was watching him from Uncle Vernon's back but Dudley was standing calmly near the chairs. The house was a small one, not unlike the one at Privet Drive.

Harry smiled awkwardly at Dudley and they shaked hands, then Harry beckoned his Aunt and Uncle over to the couch. they sat fearfully and when Uncle Vernon opened his mouth to say something, Harry held up his hand for silence.

"Listen to me first. The War is over. Thankfully, we won and I survived but the light side has also suffered many losses. I came to visit you only to inform and... "

Here, Harry hesitated. He knew he wasn't supposed to be attached to these people, but try as he might, they had been his family for quite some time and he couldn't bring himself to not care. Don't get him wrong but he didn't care a knut about Uncle Vernon, he could go drown himself, Harry would never forget the torture he had to endure on the beefy man's hands. It was his Aunt and Dudley he was worried about. They were actually related by blood and moreover, Dudley seemed to have bent over a new leaf over the months Harry hadn't seen him. He was much less porky now and could almost be called fit, if not for the chubbiness.

Bringing his thoughts back, Harry took a deep breath. "I came here to see if you were alright."

He was almost dreading their reactions, but he worried for nothing. Uncle Vernon just grunted in response, Aunt Petunia tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace. But Dudley's response was quite surprising.

Dudley smiled satisfactorily to himself and cast a smug look at his parents. The he said, "We were fine till around the third week. Two of your people were standing guard around this place and we were told they were very effecient ones. In the third week, there was an attack. There were around ten of those masked and cloaked people who attacked. One of the guards died and the other was severely injured but they called more of your people and the masked people had to leave." Dudley explained to Harry calmly which Harry's mouth hung open in horror.

This place had been attacked? Someone died? "Who died?" he asked in a to-be calm voice which Dudley looked right through.

"His name was Ted Tonks." Dudley said.

"WHAT?!" Harry shouted. _Ted Tonks was dead? How could this... Why?_

Suddenly, Harry felt very tired. He sunk into the couch, rubbing his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm his senses and fighting the urge to break something. He let out a frustrated sigh and put his head in his hands. "Did you know him?" Dudley asked quietly.

Dudley had been hoping against hope that he was someone Harry didn't know. He had already been feeling very guilty over his behaviour towards his cousin ever since Kingsley had told them of Harry's role in the War. The more he learnt about Harry, the more he felt disgusted over himself and his parents.

He had been a child and hadn't known what was right and what wrong but his parents had know it all but still, they treated Harry like shit. Respect for his cousin had rose in Dudley's heart and he hadn't been talking to his parents for a long time now. He looked into his cousin's eyes and was deeply surprised by the haunted look they held.

His cousin's reaction to the news had been enough to tell Dudley that he knew the man named Ted Tonks. Harry's actual answer though, shocked him even more.

"He was my godson's grandfather." Harry said, a look of pure torture on his face. Dudley glanced at his parents to see that they were horrified. But he, he felt only pity and deep, deep guilt.

Dudley patted his cousin's shoulder awkwardly and made to stand up for the kitchen but Harry stopped him.

"Were you all fine?" Harry asked again and Dudley nodded in response.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted and a girl around Harry's age came in from the door, wand in hand, eyes big and alert. "What's wrong Harry? Are you alright?"

Harry chuckled at her reaction. "Nothing Mione. Just wanted to tell you we're done."

Hermione cast a curious glance to Dudley and the place where his parents were sitting, and nodded at them curtly as greeting.

"Hello. I'm Dudley Dursley." Dudley said cheerily, stretching out his hand for her to shake; he wanted to make friends with Harry's friends as fast as possible so that they didn't shun him due to misunderstandings.

After an encouraging nod from Harry, Hermione took Dudley's hand and introduced herself.

"Ted Tonks was on duty here. He was killed in an attack." Harry said suddenly and Hermione's mouth dropped open in horror.

Harry rubbed her back soothingly as a single tear fell from her eyes. They sat in silence for a few minutes, after which Harry mumbled something about tea and called out "Kreacher!"

With a small pop, Kreacher appeared in front of the little company and bowed deeply, his snout like nose touching the floor. "Yes Master Harry."

"Enough with the theatrics Kreacher," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Please make tea for everyone and something to eat if it's possible, the kitchen's there." he said, pointing to a door in the left. Kreacher bowed again and disappeared through the kitchen door.

"Are you his girlfriend?" Dudley asked curiously. To his amusement, both Harry and Hermione jumped apart and casting disgusted looks at him, exclaimed simultaneously "EW!"

Dudley started laughing while Harry and Hermione grumbled about 'ruining their appetites'. After a few minutes, Kreacher was back with tea and some toast.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon refused to eat anything made by Kreacher, much to the amusement of Hermione, even when she told them it was safe. They then retreated to the bedroom, casting furitive glances at the food.

"What do you plan to do next Dudley?" Harry asked, wanting to make conversation now that he was on better terms with his only blood-relative.

But before Dudley could reply, there was a large BANG! and a large red envelope floated down from somewhere near the ceiling.

Uncle Vernon came skidding out of the bedroom and saw Harry and Hermione pointing their wands in the direction of the red envelope.

"Check it." Harry said urgently and Hermione followed immediately. After a few complicated wand movements, she shook her head in a negative.

"No dark magic. Just very very strong magic but it's not dark." she said, her voice dripping with curiosity.

As she picked and turned the envelope around, she gasped, and Harry saw why.

The envelope was addressed to Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and _Dudley Dursley_.

The three exchanged a bewildered look. Harry took the envelope and after opening it very carefully, he read the letter aloud:

Dear Harry, Hermione and Dudley,

This is a letter from the future. I have sent seven books written about Harry's life to the past, even before you, to 1990.

A few people will be reading the books there but since I myself cannot travel back there, I would be grateful if you three agree to back there. You know how Mrs. Weasley is, she'll freak out and Remus and Sirius might do something rash.

I asked Dudley to go back because I know that he wants to change and he also feels would be good for him to know more about you and it will also help with the guilt when he learns most of it isn't his fault.

You're going because seeing you alive will calm most nerves, you know what I mean. And Hermione... Well, it's books; so no on can possibly stop her.

Also if you decide to go, one day you spend there, will be equal to one hour in your time so if you stay for around three weeks, it wouldn't be a problem.

I would be grateful if you agreed to do this. If not, it's fine and I understand.

Yours,

Teddy Remus Lupin

After Harry finished reading, all three gaped at each other for a full minute before Hermione broke the silence.

"W-Well, I-I see no harm in it. We're not due anywhere for two days at least so it shouldn't be an issue." she said matter-of-factly and then turned to Dudley expectantly.

"Well, I uh.. Are we going to travel in time?" he said, grinning. He hadn't thought it possible but well, his cousin was a wizard, what could be surprising now?

When Harry and Hermione nodded amusedly, he shrugged his shoulders. He didn't mind getting away from his parents for some time.

Then they turned to Harry, who just nodded mutely. _Another adventure. How could he say no?_

Just as if his nod was the final answer needed, the envelope glowed bright blue and as the light slowly turned brighter, the three hurriedly caught hold of each other's hands.

The next moment Harry felt his feet on firm ground, the Room Of Requirement materialized in front of him, containing a whole large crowd of people.

"Erm.. Hi?"

**There! I hope you enjoyed! If so, tell me and let know what you think.. **

**This one was very long, but in the next one, they'll start reading so don't worry! :D**

**I'll be updating soon hopefully! **

**Thanks to the lovely people who followed and favorited! I'm glad you like this. **

**Also a BIG THANK YOU to WildDragon26221 for your amazing review! You were my first one! Thank you so much!**

**Love you all!**

**Aloha,**

**Evy :)**


	3. The Boy Who Lived

_So, I'm finally here. This a is a really long chapter and I doubt anyone will finish in one shot. :P_

_Sorry for the wait but I wanted this one to be perfect at least. And I hope it is. Anyway, it is or not, I'v decided I won't be taking that much time on editing now. It already takes so much time to type. And I'd be thankful my typing is fast. Phew.._

_The usual Disclaimers apply and I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER and the words in bold are Rowling's. Also, I'v followed Dimcarien's idea- the younger Harry is written as 'little Harry' and the elder one is in italics. So thank you for deciding to read. :) Also, for my anonymus reviewers:_

_Iceflower: I'm glad you think so and thank you for that :)_

_Guest: I love that part too. I actually wrote the first part of the prologue as a single chaptered story but then this idea came so I went with this. And what you said about changing the plot, I think it will change the plot considerably and I doubt the Ministry will let Remus do that. You know, Umbitch's there.. :) Thank you for your review and I'm glad you liked it till there and do hope you do it now too. :)_

Harry watched horrified at the crowd of people. These many people were going to read about him?!

The others stared as well. But their expressions were not horrified, just awed and surprised.

"Uh.. Introductions. Hermione said hurriedly. When Dumbledore looked he was going to speak, she shook her head.

"No. Er.. We already know all of you. Just you need to know us. I'm Hermione Granger and this is Harry Potter. We're from the future and we've been sent to help you read the books." she told the audience, grinning at their shocked expressions.

Harry composed himself, mentally preparing for all kinds of shocks of seeing dead people alive once again. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, again.

"And he's Dudley Dursley. And he's from the future too." Harry said.

All eyes turned to Dursley and he reddened immediately. Harry thought he saw a hint of anger on Remus' face but dismissed it.

"Isn't he a muggle? How did he get in?" Severus said, his face displaying no expression. Harry's heart clenched painfully.

"Really Proffessor? Let me guess? Magic?" Hermione said sarcastically, raising one eyebrow in her deceased Proffessor's direction, her face showing no hint of the pain. Severus cast her a cold look and huffed while Hermione laughed with the others.

"How do we know you're not strangers?" Moody's voice bellowed suddenly, ceasing all noise.

But Harry and Hermione just rolled their eyes. "Your favorite dialogue is 'Constant Vigilance'. You're always scolding everyone about keeping their wands in back pockets. Behind the ear is a better place, as Luna would suggest if she were here-"

"I am!" Luna emerged with her wand behind the ear, grinning at Harry, who grinned back.

"Ah, and also, you lost that piece of nose when trying to capture Rosier. Evan Rosier. That enough?" Harry said, grinning at Moody who reluctantly nodded.

Chatter continued as Hermione, Harry and Dudley sat on a sofa next to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who shared another sofa with Bill. Next to them sat Fred and Gorege on a single armchair which was slightly elongated. Next to them were little Harry and little Hermione on another armchair.

Next were Neville and Ron, on chairs along with Ginny, Tonks and Luna. Draco and Narcissa sat next, a bit closed off. Then Remus, Charlie and Percy shared a couch and lastly, Albus, Minerva and Severus on their seperate armchairs.

When everyone was settled, Albus took out a sheet of paper and spoke the names in order, to which others replied with a 'here'. After that, he opened the envelope and started reading aloud the letter:

_Dear everyone,_

_ I hope everyone is present. You will be reading books about Harry Potter's life, the adult Harry's past and all yours future. But the main purpose for which I sent these books is to change the future, which is not nearly pleasant, as you will find out in the books._

_Next, it is a request from me that please do not judge anyone from what they did in the books. That's the purpose of sending of these, to change what happens._

_Also once you've started reading, the time outside the Room will stop until anyone steps outside. But as soon as they step back, it will stop again. The spell has been activated now it will continue until you finish the books._

_I hope you have a good read and once again, don't judge people on what they did in the books and also, everything in them can be changed._

_Your,_

_TRL._

As soon as Dumbledore finished reading, the twins high-fived and shouted "We're gonna read books from the future! Awesome!"

Everyone chuckled at them but McGonagall said the adults' thoughts aloud- "Who is TRL?"

"We do know but we suppose if he doesn't want oyu to know, we shouldn't tell. DOn't worry, he's not dangerous. He's a friend." Harry told everyone and they nodded.

"So, shall we start?" Hermione said grabbing the top book, and her excitement was infectious.

**The Boy Who Lived**

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say** **that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

"But that's boring!" Fred excliamed. All the others shushed him.

**They were the last** **people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious,** **because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings,**

"What kind of a name is that!" Tonks exclaimed, scrunching up her nose.

**which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did** **have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had** **nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she** **spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the** **neighbors.**

"She hasn't changed at all." Remus said, shaking his head, while little Harry looked up at him in amazement.

"You knew her?" he asked excitedly. But Remus just nodded his head and said no more.

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their** **opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

_Harry_ and _Hermione_ snorted, much to the amusement of everyone while Dudley looked slightly embarrassed.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and** **their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't** **think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

Remus looked quite angry and so did Snape but only _Harry_ and _Hermione_ saw.

**Mrs.** **Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years;** **in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband **

"James was not a good-for-nothing person. He was one of the best Aurors we ever had." Remus said in a harsh tone and everyone who knew him nodded, all the adults looking quite angry.

**were as unDursleyish as it was** **possible to be. **

"That's not a word!" Remus, _Hermione_ and Severus exclaimed at the same time. The three blushed slightly.

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would** **say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the** **Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy** **was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"A child like what exactly?" Remus growled menacingly. Charlie and Percy shifted slightly away from him.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story** **starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that** **strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the** **country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for** **work,**

"Why would someone do that!" Fred and George cried in mock horror. Everyone chuckled at them.

**and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming** **Dudley into his high chair.**  
**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs.** **Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. **

Mrs. gasped in horror at the child's manners while _Harry_ snorted.

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.**

_Hermione_ and _Harry_ started sniggering and Dudley smiled amusedly. At everyone's confused looks, he said "There was nothing _little_ about me."

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of** **something peculiar - a cat reading a map. **

"Wierd.." most of the people muttered but Dumbledore. McGonagall flushed.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley** **didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to ****look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet** **Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking ****of? It must have been a trick of the light. **

"Wow, they to lengths to ignore magic. Even when it's staring them in the face. Literally in this case!" Mr. Weasley said.

The others just smiled.

**Mr. Dursley blinked and** **stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the ****corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now ****reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats**  
**couldn't read maps or signs. **

"It was definitely reading! I bet!" Fred said, but no one came up for it.

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and** **put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of ****nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

"That's what he does most of the time." to everyone's surprise, Dudley said. Most just looked at him but little Harry and _Harry_ and _Hermione_ stared in shock. When _Hermione_ realised she was drawing attention, she started reading again.

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something** **else.**

"Wow, that would have to be something really strange or important.." little Harry mused.

**As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help ****noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people**  
**about. People in cloaks. **

"What's strange about dressing in cloaks?" Ron asked.

"Beacuse it's not not normal for Muggles to wear cloaks Ronald." _Hermione_ said, rolling her eyes. _Harry_ chuckled when Ron turned red.

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in** **funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this** **was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering ****wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite ****close by. **

"They're not wierdos!" Ginny said, frowning.

**They were whispering excitedly together. **

"I wonder what happened to bring them out in this way, so careless." McGonagall sniffed almost angrily.

**Mr. Dursley was ****enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man ****had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The** **nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some ****silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something...** **yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr.**  
**Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

"That is what he actually thinks all day!" George exclaimed, both twins shaking their heads morosely.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the**  
**ninth floor. **

"I wonder the building didn't collapse." _Harry_ muttered, causing _Hermione_ and Dudley to laugh quitely.

**If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate ****on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swoop ing past in broad**  
**daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed**  
**open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. **

Everyone frowned, thinking what happened causing wizards to be so careless.

**Most of them had never** **seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly ****normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made** **several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

"That's normal?" Tonks said in distaste.

"I'm liking this man less and less by the second." Bill said.

**He was in a** **very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs** **and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**  
**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of ****them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't** **know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering ****excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on ****his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he** **caught a few words of what they were saying.**  
**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry"**

"Oh.. It's that day!" Charlie said suddenly, causing everyone else to look at him questioningly.

"Halloween of 1991." He said, which immediately caused the mood to drop immediately. The adults sat with mournful expressions and the kids kept quieter, everyone identifying what day it was.

Bill, Charlie, Percy and little Hermione had straightened up in their seats, the first three eager to know if they would actually come to know what had happened that night.. All their parents told them was that Harry Potter, the little kid had drove Voldemort away at the age of one. Perhaps, they themselves hadn't known what had exactly happened.

Little Hermione only wanted to know more as the day mentioned by Charlie seemed to dampen the mood immediately.

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead.****Fear flooded him. He looked back at the ****whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better ****of it. ****He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his ****secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost ****finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the ****receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was ****being stupid. **

"What a surprise." Severus sad dryly.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were ****lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think ****of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. **

"He didn't even know your name!" _Hermione_ muttered angrily and _Harry_ had to put a hand over her arm to calm her down.

**He'd never even ****seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point ****in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her ****sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that... **

Remus growled again and all the adults looked angry, everyone sending glares at the book.

**but all ****the same, those people in cloaks... ****He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and ****when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that ****he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, **

"He knows the word!" the twins cried in mock surprise. Everyone chuckled lightly but it wasn't hearty.

**as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It ****was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a ****violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ****ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in** **a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, ****for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at** **last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy,** **happy day!" ****And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

"It's Flitwick. I'm sure." Tonks said, shaking her head and smiling a bit.

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete ****stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that** **was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping ****he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he**  
**didn't approve of imagination.**

"What kind of a man is he?!" Tonks exclaimed loudly, Remus had to cover his ears.

"A very stupid one, if you ask me.." Remus replied.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw -** **and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that**  
**morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the** **same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

"I think I know who it is!" Charlie said suddenly, casting McGonagall a brief glance, who blushed a bit.

"Who?" the twins asked but Charlie just cast them a smug grin "Not telling!"

The twins huffed and _Hermoine_ continued reading.

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a** **stern look.**

This time Bill gasped. "It's Proffessor McGonagall!" he said and everyone turned to him confusedly.

"How can you be sure Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall asked shrewdly.

"You're the only one who can manage a stern look even in the cat form." Bill replied, grinning at the blushing Proffessor.

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying ****to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still ****determined not to mention anything to his wife.** **Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all ****about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had ****learned a new word ("Won't!"). **

_Harry_ and _Hermione_ snorted amusedly and Dudley just sighed, shaking his head at himself.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When** **Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to ****catch the last report on the evening news:**  
**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's ****owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally**  
**hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been ****hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since ****sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly** **changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin.** **"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going ****to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted,"**

"Your father worked in muggle news?" _Harry_ asked Tonks, puzzled.

"Sometimes." she shrugged. Although, she was inwardly surprised that Harry knew her father.

**said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not ****only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as ****Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead** **of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting**  
**stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's ****not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

"So careless." McGonagall muttered disapprovingly.

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain?** **Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place?** **And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was ****no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat** **nervously. "Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister ****lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, ****they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

"How rude! She was one of the best people one could have the fortune of knowing! How dare she!" Remus exclaimed again.

He was having a hard time controlling his temper now. If the books were going to continue in this way, he hated to think what would happen to him by the end.

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**  
**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting** **stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..." ****"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you** **know... her crowd."** **Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered ****whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he ****didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, **

**"Their son -** **he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"** **"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**  
**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**  
**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite** **agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed.** **While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom** **window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there.** **It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for** **something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the** **Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of** **- well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

More glares were sent towards the books.

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. ****Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting**  
**thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were ****involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs.** **Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about ****them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get** **mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over** **- it couldn't affect them...**

"Sure it wouldn't" _Harry_ muttered sarcastically.

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat ****on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as** **still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of ****Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the** **next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly ****midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so ****suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the**  
**ground. **

"Finally! Some magic!" the twins cried again.

**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall,** **thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which** **were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes,** **a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.**  
**His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon ****spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been**  
**broken at least twice. **

"Anyone who needs more than one guess to who he is, is mad in my opinion." Bill said, grinning at the present Dumbledore.

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"How informative." Percy snorted.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a** **street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was** **busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to** **realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, ****which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For ****some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and**  
**muttered, "I should have known."**

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a ****silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and**  
**clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"Cool!" the twins stared awed at the Proffessor.

"I have one here," _Harry_ said, pulling out the Deluminator he had borrowed from Ron. "It's the very same one actually." he told the awed and confused audience.

Dumbledore now felt suspicious that he might have died from where _Harry_ came. He wouldn't give it to someone otherwise.

_Harry_ only seemed to understand his mistake when _Hermione_ poked him hard in the ribs and sent him a glare. He cast a swift a glace at Dumbledore and put the device back in his pocket.

**He** **clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times** **he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street ****were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat ****watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed ****Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening ****down on the pavement. **

**Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his ****cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down ****on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he ****spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"HA! See?" Bill said truimphantly but Charlie reminded him "No one contradicted you." which made him slump back again.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling** **at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly ****the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was** **wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight ****bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.** **"My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." **

Everyone in the room chuckled while McGonagall blushed.

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said** **Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a ****dozen feasts and parties on my way here."** **Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. ****"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. ****"You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles**  
**have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her ****head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks**  
**of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They ****were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet**  
**that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense." ****"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious** **little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no** **reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on**  
**the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, ****swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping** **he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A**  
**fine thing it would be if, on the very day YouKnow-Who seems to have** **disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he r****eally has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful** **for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

"Dumbledore and his sweets." everyone who knew Dumbledore said, shaking their heads.

**"A what?"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"** **"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't**  
**think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if ****You-Know-Who has gone -"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him ****by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I**  
**have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: ****Voldemort." **

Everyone in the room flinched, except Dumbledore and Moody.

_Harry_ looked disapprovingly at the others. "It's going to appear very often in the books. It would be better if you get used to it. Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself." he said.

Everyone nodded, somewhat shocked.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was** **unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so** **confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason** **to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.**  
**"I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half ****exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're**  
**the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will** **never have."**

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey** **told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Ugh! Mental image!" almost everyone groaned as the Proffessor chuckled merrily.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls** **are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what**  
**everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally** **stopped him?"**

Everyone immediately straightened and the tension thickened.

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most ****anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard** **wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed** **Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that**  
**whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until** **Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing**  
**another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort** **turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is**  
**that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. " **

Everyone had a hard time controlling the tears as the memories of the previous War and that of the said people came back to their minds.

_Hermione_ continued reading emotionlessly, determined to read this part through as fast as possible.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it...** **Oh, Albus..."** **Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I ****know..." he said heavily.** **Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. ****They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But - he ****couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how,** **but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's ****power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone."**

Hermione didn't give anyone much time and continued reading more hurriedly.

** Dumbledore nodded glumly.** **"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's ****done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy?** **It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the** **name of heaven did Harry survive?"** **"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her** **eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a**  
**golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch.** **It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving**  
**around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because ****he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was**  
**he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to ****tell me why you're here, of all places?"**  
**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family** **he has left now."**

"You can't be serious!" the twins exclaimed. This time, no adults could say anything, they only glared at the Headmaster, who surprisingly kept his posture.

"Proffessor, you didn't actually plan of leaving him there with those filthy people?" Bill asked, unsuccessfully trying to hide the anger.

"Listen, if you've forgotten, this has already happened, there's no use of doing or saying anything now, OK? Hermione, just continue." _Harry_ said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried** **Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.**  
**"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't ****find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw**  
**him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets.** **Harry Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and ****uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've**  
**written them a letter."**

"Yeah, what a great help" _Harry_ muttered bitterly.

"You actually thought a letter a would explain things to these muggles Dumbledore?" Molly asked exasperatedly, still angry at him.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on** **the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a**  
**letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a ****legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day**  
**in the future - there will be books written about Harry**

Everyone chuckled lightly at this part.

**- every child** **in our world will know his name!"**

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his** **half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous**  
**before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even ****remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away**  
**from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and ****then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy**  
**getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she** **thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

"Paranoid much, Proffessor?" Charlie said, laughing.

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as** **this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life." _Harry_ said solemnly.

**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

_Harry_ smiled at his former Proffessor, who smiled back.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor** **McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does**  
**tend to - what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew ****steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a** **headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and ****a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of** **them.**

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride ****it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times**  
**as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long ****tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands** **the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were ****like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle**  
**of blankets.**

Cheers for the half-giant went throughout the room from the kids who had attended Hogwarts. This made Ron and Ginny even more excited to attend the school.

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did** **you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing** **carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to**  
**me. I've got him, sir."**

Most of the adults exchanged doubtful and angry glances at the mention of the traitor.

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right** **before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was**  
**flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of** **blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a**  
**tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously** **shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"AWWW..." all the ladies or girls in the room cooed at the image. _Harry_ turned red and poked _Hermione_, who was sniggering, to continue reading.

**"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.** **"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself** **above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. **

"Ugh! There wasn't a need of that Proffessor." Bill and Charlie groaned while Fred and George shouted "Awesome!"

**Well** **- give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."** **Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his** **great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very**  
**scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a ****wounded dog.**

Laughter broke out from the room among the people who knew Hagrid.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and ****burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead ****- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or ****we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly ****on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to ****the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out****of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to ****the other two. **

"You left him on the doorstep!" everyone exclaimed, Molly the loudest.

"It's happened already! Get on with it!" _Harry_ shouted over the rant he saw coming from Molly. Everyone covered their ears, shocked at _Harry's_ sudden outburst, and _Hermione_ continued reading, smirking. _Harry certainly knew how to control an angry crowd._

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at ****the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall ****blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from ****Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying ****here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." **

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his ****bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

"Did he get it back?" _Harry_ asked McGonagall, bit his tongue when he realised everyone still thought Sirius to be a murderer.

McGonagall just looked at him wierdly and _Hermione_ continued reading, seeing the Proffessor wasn't going to answer.

** Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself ****onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose ****into the air and off into the night. ****"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, ****nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he ****stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and ****twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet ****Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking ****around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the ****bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish ****of his cloak, he was gone. **

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and ****tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect ****astonishing things to happen. **

**Harry Potter rolled over inside his ****blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside ****him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was ****famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs.** **Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk ****bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and** p**inched by his cousin Dudley... **

**He couldn't know that at this very ****moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up** **their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy** **who lived!"**

**"That's the end of the chapter." Hermione sighed. **

"So you're the boy who lived?" Dudley asked _Harry_, bringing the others' attention back to him.

"Yeah. Well, was. These days they have new names for me." _Harry_ sighed, smiling slightly.

Dudley nodded and fell silent again.

"So, I want to make it clear that whatever happens in the next chapter, especially about Dudley, do not blame him. It's not his fault he was brought up like that." _Harry_ announced clearly. Everyone nodded their heads and Molly and mentally decided to the take Dudley under her wing for the time he stayed there.

"So, how about some food?" _Harry_ said cheerfully. "Oh, and I'm sorry for shouting Mrs. Weasley." he added.

Molly just smiled at him. Meanwhile, a long table appeared on one side of the room, like a house table; it was also filled with food for lunch items.

Everyone settled and talked amongst themselves, getting to know each other better. _Harry_, _Hermione_ and Dudley piled some food into their plates and went to the armchairs to fill Dudley in about the basics of the war and also a bit about magic.

Dudley nodded occassionally, showing that he understood. He felt lucky that he was here to read about his cousin's life in detail, to get to know him better. He was pleasantly shocked to hear the part about _Harry_ killing Voldemort but got over it.

_Harry_ and _Hermione_ also introduced him to all the people seperately, so that he didn't get confused much. But _Harry_ also said that they won't be coming in the story for some time, at least till a few more chapters.

Dudley was silently dreading reading the part about _Harry's_ childhood as he knew what was in it for him. But he also had complete faith in _Harry_ and _Hermione_ that they would protect him.

After everyone was done eating, they gathered around in the centre of the room once again for the next chapter. _Harry_ took the book this time, thinking that it would be better if he read faster or everyone would rant about living conditions.

So he took the book and started reading-

**"The Vanishing Glass"**

_WHOA! That was a really, really long chapter. I congratulate you all who read this is in one time. :P_

_So, I'll probably be updating the next one in a week or so, as this chapter took me three days, I know I'm slow but what can I do? I just get one hour daily. Two if I'm lucky. And also, I need to look after the other stories too. :)_

_A Big THANKS! to everyone you reviewed and followed and favorited. It's great to see some support and I'm glad so many of you like it.. :)_

_Thanks once again,_

_Evy :)_


	4. The Vanishing Glass

_I know that I ought to be hit for making it soooo long before an update but I'm not really a person with writing time. I just wish I had more of it. Anyway, we have the chapter here, and it's in with a few surprises and again, very long. I hope you guys like it. __ On with it then:_

**THE VANISHING GLASS**

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed.**

"That actually shows how boring they are." Bill complained with a frown.

**Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets – **

_Harry_, _Hermione_, Dudley and little Harry let out chuckles while the others looked confused.

**but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby,**

Everyone started laughing as they realized the meaning of the last sentence.

**and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.**

Several eyes narrowed at this part.

**Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

"I pity you. She has a bad voice." Snape said, scrunching up his large nose slightly.

Little Harry looked at the man in shock. Rather, almost everyone did, except _Harry_, _Hermione_, Remus, Dumbledore and Dudley. Dudley had been told briefly about the man and his relation with _Harry_ by _Hermione_; it was still a bit touchy subject by _Harry_.

"You know my Aunt too?" little Harry asked excitedly, his green eyes wide in his small face.

Snape turned to the junior-James with the frown ready on his face, but his snirky answer died in his throat at the kid's face; Lily's eyes looking up at him with excitement.

"Yes. Yes, I did. We were neighbours." He said, a bit of shock lacing his silky voice. He looked up to see the whole room watching in shock. Perhaps, he had relayed a bit too much information.

Ignoring them, he cleared his throat embarrassedly and relaxed his face into the same indifferent mask and motioned for _Harry_ to continue reading.

**"Up! Get up! Now!"**

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.**

**"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"That wasn't a dream. That was reality Harry." _Hermione_ said, amused.

"I know that now. Stop stating the obvious." Both Harrys told her exasperatedly, the older rolling his eyes slightly.

**His aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

**"Nearly," said Harry.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

"S-she made you cook?" Remus said through gritted teeth. Little Harry nodded and saw Remus' jaw clench tightly. A vein was also throbbing in his temple, not unlike the one Uncle Vernon's.

'_The Dursley's are going to have visitors soon.' Harry_ thought, a bit panicked.

"Remus, it's alright. Don't worry on it much, Ok?" _Harry_ said in an attempt to calm him down.

The werewolf just nodded his head curtly and _Harry_ started reading again.

**Harry groaned.**

**"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

**"Nothing, nothing..."**

**Dudley's birthday - how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, **

"Don't say that!" Ron whimpered suddenly and _Harry_ remembered Ron's fear of spiders.

"Sorry, Ron." _Harry_ said, grimacing. Ron shuddered violently once and moved to sit beside his mother.

**because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**

"What?!" shrieked many voices, Remus' and _Hermione's_ loudest.

"H-How dare they? C-Cupboard under the stairs? K-Kept you there? How dare.."

Remus was having trouble forming coherent sentences and _Harry_ was alarmed to see the expression on his face. Like that day in Grimmauld Place when he had fought with Remus, a shadow of the wolf was visible on his pale face and his eyes even had a hint of yellow.

_Hermione_, in the meanwhile, was shaking beside him, cracking her knuckles dangerously. Frankly, _Harry_ thought she looked like a female version of Dudley in her actions. He wanted to laugh but thought better of it and stood up trying to take charge of the situation.

He thought for a private place where he could have a talk with _Hermione_ and also calm Remus down. A door marked 'Private Room' immediately appeared on their side.

"LISTEN TO ME!" he shouted, ceasing the other's activities which included Remus pacing the room, Mrs. Weasley and Hermione muttering to themselves and the others interrogating little Harry, who was red in the face.

Draco and Narcissa, about whom he had momentarily forgotten, were sitting in their places, looking disgusted and awkwardly out of place. Seeing them, he made up his mind on something.

"Remus, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, please calm down. It's not that much of a big deal. I was moved from the cupboard in a few days and it will be mentioned. Please, stop worrying." He said, a hint of exasperation in his tone. The fact that he was moved seemed to calm Mrs. Weasley and Remus a bit, but only a bit.

"I don't care if they moved you or not Harry. You, sorry, your younger self, will be living with me or with the Weasleys from now on. You are not living in that animal house any longer." Remus said in a tone that betrayed his anger, however quiet he tried it to be, but it also held finality. Dumbledore, in the meanwhile, had the sense to look a bit guilty and did not contradict Remus presently, deciding to mention the blood relation bond later.

_Harry_, however, had other issues. He was having difficulty in agreeing, seeing as Sirius was his godfather and he wanted his younger self to live in his gaurdianship.

"Okay, Remus, Hermione, come to that room, I need to talk to you." He said and the three made their way to the 'Private Room'.

"Remus, Sirius is innocent." _Harry_ said as soon as he closed the door.

"What?!" Remus said, a gobsmacked**(A/N: Gotta love the word! ;)** expression on his face.

"Yes, it's all explained in the third book. And as I'm sure you know, he's also my godfather. So, after these books are finished, I think my younger self will be living with him. Actually, not exactly living with him, kind of, staying there mostly, as I'm protected by an ancient magic until I stay in my blood relative's house. That's also the reason Dumbledore placed me in that house. I hope you don't mind. I'll just have to return for a few days, as long as I can call the place home, the charms are active."

"Okay. As long as your younger self spends the least amount of time needed in there." Remus nodded reluctantly and went to move outside.

Harry turned back to see _Hermione_, with her arms in front of her, and a furious expression on her face. "Well?" she said, tapping her foot impatiently. "Why were none of us told about this?"

"Er.. Because I didn't want anybody to pity me more than they already do." _Harry_ said truthfully. He was relieved to see _Hermione's_ face relax.

"Anyway, you could have atleast told us, me and Ron. We wouldn't have pitied you. You know that."

"Yeah, I know. But still, it never came up so I never mentioned."

"Fine. But I don't think I'm letting you near that fat oaf of a Dursley again." "I mean Vernon." She added on seeing his affronted face.

"Oh, right then. Let's continue then shall we?" he asked.

"Yeah."

And they made their way back to the room where almost everything was back to normal, except that Dudley's face. It was red. _Harry_ suspected the others had been giving him a bit of their mind.

He frowned disapprovingly and said, "Look here, anything that happens around the Dursleys, Dudley is not to be blamed for it. Everybody understood?"

Everyone nodded their heads solemnly and _Harry_ replaced his position back with _Hermione_ and Dudley, giving a reassuring smile to the latter. Then he proceeded with the reading.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. **

Eyebrows rose high at this statement and Mrs. Weasley said, "A 12 year old shouldn't be allowed these many things. It's plainly spoiling a child."

Her voice was irritated and Dudley looked slightly ashamed but he knew that it wasn't his fault; well, mostly.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, gravely.

**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise - unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry,**

Noises of protest and disgust went about in the room but Harry continued reading, drowning the other noises.

**but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.**

"Just like your father, Harry. He was also a midget until his fourth year, after which he grew out." Remus said fondly, addressing little Harry, who beamed at hearing that he was more like his father.

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. **

"I'm sorry." Dudley said suddenly.

_Harry_ stopped reading to look at his cousin in surprise. "I know that Dudley. There's no need-"

"Yes, there is. I know you know that I am sorry but I never said it properly. Sorry." Dudley said.

Even though it was unexpected, _Harry_ smiled at his cousin. He knew it was late but it was never late to start making amendments. And any stupid person could see that Dudley was trying very hard to do just that.

And so did the other people in the room. Though they were curious, no one wanted to ask exactly what had happened to make Dudley realize all of his mistakes.

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning.**

"You liked it?" Hermione asked him, surprised.

"Yeah, didn't know what it was then." Harry said.

Hermione nodded understandingly.

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his AuntPetunia was how he had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said. "And don't ask questions."**

"CAR CRASH?!" Remus and surprisingly, Snape, shouted simultaneously.

They were both clenching and unclenching their fists while Snape's face had turned a dirty colour of puce, which was enough to signify that he was very angry.

_Harry_ continued reading, at a much faster pace, wanting to go through this chapter as fast as possible. He was sure once this was over, it would be a much calmer reading.

**Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

"How the hell are you supposed to learn then?" Hermione said hotly.

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

**"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

"That's not possible to tame. It's a Potter trait. The hair grow like that- all over the place." Remus said, smiling slightly.

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place.**

"Told you. You are more like your father than I ever imagined." Remus told little Harry and was awarded with a face-splitting grin.

"Though," he added, with a short glance towards Snape, "I hope you didn't get some.. er, specific traits of James."

Little Harry frowned in confusion but no one decided to elaborate.

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

Everyone broke out laughing, even Dudley couldn't stop himself.

"I love your descriptions, Harry." Charlie said.

_Harry_ smiled in return.

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents.**

**His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"That's- that's totally-" Fred started,

"UNFAIR!" George said.

"Yeah, even we don't get as many presents, even on Christmas." Bill added, shaking his head.

Mrs. Weasley in the meanwhile was thinking that the Dursleys needed lessons in parenting. No wonder, any innocent child who was pampered like that, would be spoilt.

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

"And she's encouraging him for more!" Mrs. Weasley said, affronted.

Everyone nodded their agreement.

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.**

**Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

"Oh. So that's where you learned that." _Hermione_ said thoughtfully.

"Learned what?" _Harry_ asked.

"Wolfing down your food. I always wondered how you could eat that fast. I never learned." _Hermione_ answered and _Harry_ only replied by rolling his eyes and reading further, much to the amusement of the others.

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right''**

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."**

"Okay, you couldn't even count. I am totally wondering how you managed to stay alive in that house Dudley, after you realized your parents' greatness." Tonks said.

_Harry_ almost jumped, he had forgotten about her presence.

"Oh and don't dare to deny that your parents weren't like that, because it's too clear." She added, when Dudley opened his mouth.

Dudley looked ashamed but didn't reply. _Harry_ wanted to say something to Tonks but thought better of it, perhaps it would be good if let Dudley handle some things on his own.

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried. **

"I wonder what can anger her." Bill mused.

"Probably a neighbor has something new and more expensive than her." Charlie said lowly, so that their mother wouldn't hear.

Mrs. Weasley however, was busy thinking who in their sane minds would gift a gold watch to a eleven year old kid.

"Harry, sorry to interrupt you but can you please explain what all these muggle devices are?" Mr. Weasley said excitedly.

Harry restrained himself from rolling his eyes. "Oh, um.. Sure Mr. Weasley. I think we could do with a muggle dictionary.." he trailed off, casting a glance around the room and a thick pocket dictionary appeared on the table which was previously set for food. Mr. Weasley hurriedly grabbed it from the table, along with a quill and a piece of parchment, and settled himself back on his seat.

"Hey, Harry? Is this the same man? Your friend's father, who came in to take you to that World Cup?" Dudley asked suddenly.

"Yeah, the very same." Harry replied.

He ignored the others' questioning looks and continued reading.

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

"Figg? Arabella Figg?" Remus asked confusedly.

"You know her too?" little Harry asked.

"No, not personally. Just by name. She's a squib. She used to live near our house when I was young." Remus answered.

"But you're still young." Tonks said unexpectedly. Instead of a blush, her hair turned red, at the amount of stares as stared back, challenging anyone to contradict her.

"I'm thirty but er.. thanks I guess." Remus said, wondering why he felt a little hot at the collar himself.

Little Harry was squirming in his seat, conflicting something in his mind. Little Hermione, noticing this, looked at him in confusion before speaking.

"What's a squib?" she directed her question at the room as a whole, though it was Percy who answered her.

"It's a person who is born in a magical family but doesn't have any magical powers." He said expertly. Little Hermione nodded at him.

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

"She's not that bad but I guess I know where that feeling comes from." Remus said, smiling at _Harry_.

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.**

"Tibbles is your cat, you know." Remus interrupted again. Little Harry looked gleeful at the information but _Harry_ felt slightly irritated. More due to the fact that he didn't know how everyone would react to the fact that he was a Parseltongue and he was dying to get that part through.

Though he was also equally intrigued at the prospect of meeting the old lady, Figg, when he got back. If the cat was left to her, she was bound to know his parents.

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?"**

"What kind of a name is that?" Fred said distastefully.

"Surely, a very stupid one, especially if she's friends with this lady."

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

**"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...and leave him in the car..."**

Remus was, by this time, grinding his teeth very noisily and the other two sitting on his sides scooted away from him again.

**"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone..."**

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

"There's a limit of being ignorant. This woman just surpasses them all. And Dudley dear, I don't blame you in the least for anything you did there. It's clear you were made to grow up like that." Mrs. Weasley said with a smile at Dudley. The boy just nodded, not much used to such sane behaviour.

**"Dinky Duddydums, **

Everyone laughed outright at the name while Dudley blushed.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

**"I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.**

**Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

"Of course." Harry said, shaking his head in amusement.

**Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life. His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

"What. Does that statement mean?" Remus said through gritted teeth.

"Uh.. Nothing Remus." Harry said nervously.  
Hermione scoffed openly.

"Yeah. Tell that to my wand Harry. You're Harry Potter. Something is bound to go wrong with a luck like yours."

"A luck like his? I'm even more nervous about this chapter now." Remus said worriedly. His anger had not bated, but now he was more worried about Harry. He seemed to have acquired James' luck.

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly.." But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

"I do. I have complete faith in you." _Hermione_ said, her chin high in the air, staring around the room.

"And Harry," Remus turned to little Harry, "You shouldn't worry about those people anymore. We all have complete faith in you."

"Yeah, and we're friends so obviously, we believe you too." Ron said, quite unexpectedly. The other kids as well as elders nodded their agreement.

Little Harry looked grateful. "Thanks." he said.

_Harry_ continued reading to cover up the sappy moment.

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.**

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.**

**Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off.**

"That would be your inner magic. Causing accidents." _Hermione_ said.

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

"Tuney knows it's accidental magic." Snape said suddenly.

"Tuney?" Bill asked skeptically. He was obviously the bravest of the Weasley kids, for the others were visibly curious but didn't ask for the fear of the infamous Potions Master.

"Nickname." Snape said, sending a withering glance in the oldest Weasley kid's direction, who returned it coolly. Though inside, he was glad he wasn't in school anymore.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls)**

"Ew! That's ghastly!" Ginny said.

"Ginny!" Harry cried. He hadn't even noticed that the younger self of his girlfriend was present, unless she had made the comment.

"What? You didn't like that, did you?" Ginny asked, though she had a faint pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Wha- N-No."

"So? You said my name?"

"Oh.. Er.. Yeah.. I was surprised. Didn't realize you were there."

"Oh. So you know my.. er future self? In the future?"

"Yeah. You were Ron's younger sister. So I knew. All the Weasleys."

"Oh."

Both Harry and Ginny were red, though Harry was more so, by the end of the conversation. Hermione was trying hard not to laugh, at the site of her flustered friends. Everyone else was looking amused too. The Weasleys more so, as they knew of Ginny's infatuation with the boy.

**- The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.**

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have**

**caught him in mid- jump.**

"The wind must have caught in mid jump?" Tonks choked through her laughter.

"I'm actually impressed Mr. Potter. Apparition at such a young age. It is unheard of." Dumbledore said.

"It's Harry for you Proffessor. Please don't call me Mr. Potter. It's strange to hear it from you." _Harry_ told his deceased headmaster, who nodded in return, his eyes twinkling.

"And by the way, Albus, it was not apparition." Snape said in his quiet voice, though it successfully curbed laughter around the room.

"Oh. So what do you imply it was, Severus?" Dumbledore questioned back, though not challengingly, only merely curious.

Snape, however, looked uncomfortable.

"He's right." _Harry_ barged in, remembering Snape's last memories left to him.

"He's right. It wasn't apparition. It was a rare magic. Flying. I actually did fly. And that was the first signs of magic my mother showed. She used to sway on a swing and then she swinged high and jumped from it. She used to fly and then land many feet away from the swing." He told the others, rubbing the slight wetness in his eyes and grinning at them.

"And who told you this?" Snape asked, not meeting his eyes.

"You of course, Proffessor. Who else knew about it? My Aunt? She never spoke of her sister anyway."

Everyone looked between the two, gobsmacked. Though at what information it was hard to judge. That Severus Snape knew Lily Potter from childhood or that Lily Potter could fly? Or that her son could? And that too, at such a young age. Or that he was on terms with Severus Snape that the Potions Master told him of his childhood? Even thinking the thought mde it skeptical.

That was when _Harry_ decided to continue reading.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.**

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. **

"Why do I have an inkling that Harry was his favorite subject?" Fred asked his twin, frowning.

"Really. What gave it away?" George replied dryly, causing light laughter in the room.

**This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"Oh. I remember what happened that day!" Dudley said suddenly.

"You do?" Harry asked. Dudley nodded and Harry ignored the others' questioning glances and continued to read.

**"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

Arthur Weasley was furling about the pages of the dictionary hurriedly.

"I like motorcycles." Little Hermione said suddenly.

Everyone looked at her in shock while Harry regarded Hermione with a twinkle in his eye.

"So that's why he left it to you, isn't it?" he shrieked suddenly.

Hermione nodded, red in the face. He was, of course, referring to Sirius's bike.

"Who left her what?" Draco asked suddenly, frowning.

"Uh.. I guess you'll find out someplace in the books." Hermione replied, regarding him carefully. "Malfoy" she added.

Draco nodded, a bit confused about her reaction.

**I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

"Uh-oh. Not the best thing to say." Little Hermione said, deciding that she liked these people and the kids. They were good, though that Ron kid was a bit ill-mannered.

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

"Again Harry, you have the best descriptions." Hermione said through her laughter.

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

**I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.**

"They're right in that one thing. You get dangerous ideas out of nowhere." Hermione said, frowning at said friend.

"Oi! Hermione, let me finish this chapter. There've been too many interruptions already. And I don't get dangerous ideas like that."

"Fine, fine. Sorry. Though you do. Don't deny it."

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

Everyone sniggered appreciatively again, even Dudley.

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.**

**Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

"HA! Told you!" Hermione scoffed.

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can **

"AH! How soothing the image is." George mused, half-closing his eyes.

**- but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

"Alas."

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.**

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

**"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself – no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

"You're not supposed to compare yourself to a snake, Harry." Remus said, shaking his head and sighing.

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.**

**It winked.**

Everyone in the room stared at Harry in shock.

"Are you sure you read that right?" Percy asked.

Harry rolled his eyes and said "I'm sure Percy. It happened so no need of repeating."

**Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. **

"Only you would do that Harry." Hermione said, giggling.

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:**

**"I get that all the time.**

**"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." **

**The snake nodded vigorously.**

"You, you actually talked to it?"

"It could understand you?"

"You're a Parseltongue?"

The last question stumped the flow of the others. It was, of course, Remus.

"Actually, I am."

"But how? I don't understand." Remus replied, looking torn between listening and running off to a library. It was clear in his stance. It was the same as _Hermione_.

"The book provides further answers." _Harry_ said. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was uncomfortable at the others' response.

"You do know that it is a very dark trait." Remus said quietly. _Harry_ nodded.

"And that only the Dark Lord is the other known wizard possessing this trait." Snape added, looking at him through the dark depths of eyes. _Harry_ nodded again.

The silence in the room thickened.

"I hope it isn't a problem. Harry is in no way like Voldemort, even with their large similarities. The sooner everyone understands this, the better." _Hermione_ said quietly from beside him.

"I do not think it is a problem. It confirms my theory that the night Voldemort tried to kill Harry and gave him the scar, he transferred some of his powers, unknowingly of course, to Harry." Dumbledore said equally quietly.

"I think it does not change the person Harry is. He is a good person. It is clear from the way Crumplicles surround him so often." Luna's dreamy voice said. _Harry_ smiled gratefully at her, though he didn't know what Crumli-things were.

"Yeah. I think it should not affect the personality of a person. Though the fact is quite disconcerting of course." Tonks said, sending an uncomfortable glance towards Luna, and adding "Though I don't know what Crumplicles are."

Everyone nodded their agreement and flashed smiles at _Harry_ who returned uncomfortable ones. Though he did say "Thanks." to _Hermione_ beside him, who only winked playfully back and said "All for one and one for all."

_Harry_ felt relieved that the main part of the chapter was over.

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.**

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.**

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

**"Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on:**

**This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump.**

**"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"**

"Uh-oh. Again, not a good sign." Bill said.

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor.**

"Sorry." Dudley squeaked, over Remus' growls.

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

"What happened?!" Mrs. Weasley asked in a high-pitched voice. Everyone was on the edge of their seats by the looks of it. _Harry_ replied by continuing to read.

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. **

"You vanished the glass by accident!" Bill exclaimed, awed.

"The title of the chapter!" Tonks said, as though figured out a puzzle.

"You set a Boa Constrictor in a zoo!" the twins exclaimed, regarding _Harry_ with new-found respect, or rather, amazement.

"Yeah, now am I allowed to read?" _Harry_ said, half-amused half-irritated.

**People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."**

"He said thanks too?" _Hermione_ asked, a bit more than shocked, appalled.

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. **

"Drama Queens." Bill muttered, but no one heard except Remus, who smirked slightly.

**But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"**

"This boy is an utter prat." Tonks said angrily.

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.**

"A brandy is not something that he should take in such a condition." Mrs. Weasley muttered angrily.

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

"You. Shouldn't have to." Remus said through gritted teeth. Snape agreed silently.

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. **

"You remembered that?" _Hermione_ asked, trying hard to keep her voice straight.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

"I hate them. I hate them so much." Little Harry spat out bitterly, trying to hold back the tears. Remus beckoned the little boy to him and settled him in his lap, holding him tightly to his chest.

_Hermione_, meanwhile, clutched _Harry's_ hand tightly and returned his tearful glance, brushing away her tears.

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family.**

"It has now." Little Harry muttered to Remus, smiling slightly in his supposed Uncle's direction.

**Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.**

"Apparition, of course." _Harry_ muttered to himself.

**At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"That's it! Thank God this one's over." _Harry_ sighed, relieved.

"I'm relieved too, though I can't wait to start on the chapters when you come to know. I've missed the beginning of your life at Hogwarts." _Hermione_ smiled at him.

"You weren't friends from the beginning?" Bill asked, confused. They seemed to be pretty close.

"Well, we were from the first year but not strictly from the beginning." _Hermione_ said, feeling excited for their reactions as well to know how _Harry_ had regarded her in the beginning of that year, since they hadn't been friends then.

"Right. And I think we'll be finding that out in a few chapters. But I feel that this had been a bit too much on my as well as your nerves. So I guess you wouldn't mind taking a short break before we continue. " _Harry_ said, addressing the room. Everyone nodded their agreement and almost immediately, the couches lengthened for some and the armchairs, etc. changed to become more comfortable for their owners.

_Harry_ got up from his place and motioned for Narcissa to follow him to the Private Room. The woman did so, though doubtfully.

"What is it?" she asked a bit irritated, as soon as they entered the room.

"Look Mrs. Malfoy, I don't know how to break this to you but I kind of owe my life to you." He said, coming straight to the point. Narcissa's mouth opened wide in shock. Could she have actually helped the 'Boy Who Lived' in the future?

_Harry_ continued on. "Yeah, I know it's shocking but what I want to make a point is that I know you don't necessarily believe in the pureblood principles. But when you saved my life, it was literally a life and death matter for me and I very much admire your courage because you did that straight in Voldemort's face."

Narcissa gasped in shock, she could never even imagine what would happen if she decided to stand by the Principles she believed in. As her legs gave away, an armchair appeared at her back so that she collapsed straight into it. "What else?"

"Well, I also kind of saved Draco's life. We were never friends, always enemies but I know he's good at heart, especially, now that he doesn't have the weight of doing things he doesn't want to. Look, the thing is, in my time, Draco likes Hermione."

"Well, what's wrong with the girl?"

"She.. Well, she's a muggleborn. Draco decided to tell me the last time we met and Hermione's not very keen on listening to him. They don't have a clean history either. Apart from Hermione, though, he also doubts asking you. I told him what you were like and I encouraged him to ask you but I don't know if he did. So, what do you think of it?"

Narcissa remained quiet. The main problem was Lucius. The girl was a muggle-born. Other than that, there seemed to be no problem with her. She nodded at last, after thinking for some time.

"I'm not sure about this but I guess I would support Draco's decision if it makes him happy. And I have to say, my son's choice is good." she smiled before hesitance flickered in her eyes. "Mr. Potter, Harry. So, if you know that Draco likes Hermione, so, you both are not.. er, involved with each other?" she trailed off weakly when _Harry_ laughed.

"I really don't know why everyone assumes we're together. I think we should hold boards wherever we go. No, we're not together. Hermione is one of the few people in my life whom I wouldn't trade for anything. I value her friendship more than anything. Ron and Hermione are my best friends and I love them both very much. Though Ron and me have had our share of misunderstandings, Hermione always believed me or more like, believed in me. She's one great witch. I wouldn't give her away easily, she's like the sister I never had, though I wish Draco would hurry up. She's obviously likes him too and her denial doesn't help. Moreover, I'm not the best person for guy-advice." _Harry_ chuckled at himself and Narcissa smiled at the boy in front of her.

"Oh and Mrs. Malfoy, before you ask, the scars will be mentioned in the book and I hope you don't mind her having them, because there are some very filthy ones." _Harry_ said darkly, trying hard not to remember the Manor.

Narcissa just nodded, taking the boy's expression in very carefully.

After that, they proceeded to move out of the room to see everyone settled back and prepared to continue reading.

"Remus, I think you should read." _Harry_ said, and passed the book to Remus who nodded.

Everyone was confused by _Harry's_ appearance with Narcissa Malfoy, especially when the woman came back smiling; though _Hermione_ had some inkling as to what was up.

Remus cleared his throat and started with next chapter.

There. Again, that was one long chapter! I hope you guys liked it! And I totally invented 'Crumplicles' for my benefit. Thanks to all my lovely readers who followed and favorited.

Also thanks to

WildDragon26221

Amortentia-Malfoy

Iceflower

Guest

Oabf45

For reviewing. You guys were my first potential reviwers and necessarily those who prompted me to continue to write even through my tight schedule for writing. I love my readers!

Hopefully I'll be back with more soon.

Aloha,

Evy


	5. The Letters from No One

_I am back with another chapter and I know it's but long but well, what can I say, vacations are coming to an end and I haven't touched homework and the teachers give it like we're supposed to be on holiday for a year. I tell you, really.. :P_

_So anyway, sorry for the delay but I have it here. For my guest reviewer: _

_Brebre9__: Yes, I will be bringing Ginny in and in quite a unique way! It's a surprise though! And many of the others will be joining soon too! Thank you for the review and I hope you enjoyed it. _

_Usual Disclaimer and on with it:_

**THE LETTERS FROM NO ONE**

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.**

"When is Dudley's birthday?" Bill asked.

"It's on the 30th of June." Dudley said, not meeting his eyes.

"That means you were in that thing for at least 25 days or so." Luna said in her usual manner, not bothered in the least.

Remus took another deep breath and continued reading after a few moments.

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. **

Everyone laughed. "Great logic Harry!" Fred and George exclaimed.

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.**

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around **

"You shouldn't wander around by yourself out of the house." Molly admonished.

Remus gave her a look that simply said "_Really_?"

She blushed but _Harry_ said "Sorry" anyway.

Inwardly, he always liked when Molly showed concern about him, though it would become irritating at particular times, but he liked that someone cared in a motherly way.

**and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. **

"That's wrong. The great Harry Potter is going to be away from Dudley but not to Stonewall High, to Hogwarts." The twins said together, grinning like identical Cheshire cats. _Harry_ smiled at them, enjoying the fun till it could. 

**Dudley thought this was very funny.**

**"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

**"No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said.**

The room broke into giggles at this and Fred and George were clutching each other tightly for support but failed as they fell off the armchair. Even Snape was fighting a smile while Remus was clearly grinning, "Lily's wit." He said happily.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn 't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

"Seriously?" Tonks exclaimed, looking incredulously at Dudley. He didn't reply and just shrugged as response. The rest of the occupants of the room had different levels of incredulousness on their faces.(Mrs. Weasley the highest)

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. **

"Ick-Ickle Du- Ahahahaaa!" Fred barely managed to say before collapsing into helpless giggles again. The rest of the people were in a not so unlike state as well. Dudley, in the meanwhile, thought that if it was possible for steam to be coming out of his ears, the exact same would be happening to him presently, he could _feel_ the redness of his own face.

**Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.**

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.**

**"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

**"Your new school uniform," she said.**

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

**"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

Another fresh round of laughter.

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

**Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. **

"Good decision." Charlie said.

**He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High - like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**

Everyone sniggered again.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.**

**"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

Remus stopped for a bit and reread the sentence again. Uncle Vernon ordering Dudley to do something piqued everyone's attention and they frowned at the book in confusion. Remus read through hurriedly then.

**"Make Harry get it."**

**"Get the mail, Harry."**

**"Make Dudley get it."**

**"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

"Now everything's back to normal." Luna said, "Wrackspurts might have affected his brain there for a moment." Remus continued reading, choosing wisely to not to comment.

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and - a letter for Harry.**

Cheers of joy went around the room and the teenagers 'woo-hoo'-ed and after a bit of calming down after the cheers for Hogwarts, Remus continued again.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. **

"Wait, what about the ones we write to you?" Ginny said suddenly, frowning. _Harry_ frowned back, not knowing about this bit.

"The letters from your admirers, Mr. Potter, are sent to a separate vault at Gringotts, you are allowed access at eleven. It would have been informed to you, had you asked, of course." Dumbledore explained, eyes zeroing on little Harry, who's eyes twinkled widely in response.

"Why are my eyes twinkling like that?" _Harry_ said, staring at his younger self. Beside him, _Hermione_ shot him a confused glance. "What do you mean? They always do that. Didn't you know?"

_Harry_ shook his head in a negative and thought about what else it was that he was going to discover about himself this time. The others took in the exchange attentively and amusedly.

**Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**The Cupboard under the Stairs**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

**Surrey**

Everyone snickered. "That is too specific." Narcissa commented lightly, though it didn't have the required effect, instead, everyone quieted down immensely. Narcissa smirked at her comment's effect, enjoying the half-scared looks being sent her way, and forced down her amusement, to nod at Remus to continue, only to see him smirking lightly at her as well.

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

_Hermione_ snickered lightly at her best friend's thought process.

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.**

Cheers went around again. Snape cleared his throat impatiently and boomed "SILENCE!" Only that his wasn't the only voice that echoed. Remus and _Harry_ had shouted at the same time as well. Even and equal ghostly smirks were exchanged between the three, making everyone a bit uncomfortable.

**"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

"He's insulting jokes!" Fred and George mock-wailed, earning amused chuckles.

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter.**

"You should have opened it earlier! How thick of you Harry!" _Hermione_ complained, pouting.

"What's got you so impatient?" _Harry_ asked, a bit amused.

"I want to get to the part where you finally get your letter!" she exclaimed huffily.

"Someone's impatient." _Harry_ teased good-naturedly.

Everyone looked amused and Remus continued reading.

**He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk. -."**

"Yes!" Little Harry exclaimed happily, pumping his fist in the air.

"I'm guessing she's not much pleasant." Bill said lightly.

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

Annoyed looks met Dudley and he reddened a bit.

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

**"That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.**

"I am never eating porridge again." Little Hermione said with a grimace. Everyone nodded their head in agreement, various looks of disgust on each face.

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.**

"Too dramatic. She couldn't have actually choked." Tonks said, rolling her eyes.

**"Vernon! Oh my goodness - Vernon!"**

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

"Manners, young man." Mrs. Weasley admonished lightly. "Sorry" Dudley mumbled, though with a mischevious glint and then added, "Though he deserved it."

_Harry_ and _Hermione_ coughed lightly to cover their laughs, but the effort was lost due to their simultaneous actions.

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly. "I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine."**

"Okay, I can see the temper coming." _Hermione_ said. Everyone traded glances. "You know me too well." _Harry_ commented, amazed.

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

"**I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.**

"Told you!" _Hermione_ laughed triumphantly. _Harry_ just shook his head fondly.

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.**

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address - how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

**"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

"We have better things to do than follow such people. Huh!" McGonagall sniffed angrily.

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't**

**want -"**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer... Yes, that's best... we won't do anything..."**

"That is never going to happen. We never give up on anything as important as this." McGonagall commented again, disgust lacing her voice.

**"But -"**

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

"Yeah. Like hell they did." Remus muttered. "I agree." Dudley said. Small smiles were followed. Finally, Dudley seemed to be opening up about his views.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

"How the hell did he fit in?" Ron exclaimed. "Hardly did."_ Harry_ responded.

**"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?"**

**"No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly.**

**"I have burned it."**

**"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."**

**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling.**

Ron whimpered silently.

**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**

"Good." Ginny, _Hermione_, Ron, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Tonks, Remus and little Hermione said at the same time and a round of laughter followed. _Harry's_ heart squeezed fondly at the site and he allowed himself a smile.

**"Er - yes, Harry - about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking... you're really getting a bit big for it... we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.**

"He has a second bedroom?" Tonks exclaimed. "I'm right here you know." Dudley said.

"Oh. Sorry." Tonks cheeks tinged a very light pink.

"I'm more surprised at his offer though." Percy said, frowning.

**"Why?" said Harry.**

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."**

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

_Hermione_, little Hermione, Remus and Snape looked thoroughly offended and Dudley muttered a quick Sorry, though unable to keep the smile off his face.

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want him in there... I need that room... make him get out..."**

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back.**

Eyebrows rose high in shock but no-one dared make any comment.

**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.**

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive -'"**

_Hermione_ was practically on the edge of her seat in excitement. Little Hermione, on the other hand was rather confused at such _free_ behavior of her future self. _So did that mean that she could behave freely around these people?_ She decided to ask her future self about it later.

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. **

"Good work." Luna said suddenly. Everyone waited for some weird creature to be named and blamed for some act, but when none of it happened and Luna began whistling an idle soft tune over the silence, Remus continued again.

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

**"Go to your cupboard - I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry.**

**"Dudley - go - just go."**

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out**

**of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

Remus groaned unexpectedly. "If your plans are anything like James' I'm sure you'd be better off without executing them." He explained, shaking his head. _Hermione_ frowned.

"But Harry's an expert plan maker. It helped us a lot during the Ho- Ow!" she stopped in time to see _Harry_ glaring at her. He swiftly nodded in the others' direction meaningfully, which caused her eyes to widen with realization. "Oh no! Sorry!" she said sheepishly.

"Remus, I just meant that I know Harry to be a better plan maker."

"Um, Hermione, if you're talking about our seventh year, I'd like to remind you that most of the plans were made by you." _Harry_ said.

"Oh. Well, yeah, but basically, it was all on your ideas." She countered back.

"Okay, could stop showing your stupid modesty so that we can continue?" Snape snarked.

"No need to snarky, Proffessor. And just so you know, modesty isn't stu-" _Hermione_ started, only to be cut off by _Harry's_ hand over her mouth and she frowned disapprovingly at him while he nodded at an amused Remus to continue. Everyone watched the display with interest.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door -**

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat - something alive!**

"Let it be the whale, let it be the whale.." Fred and George chanted shamelessly and everyone giggled, and Remus looked ready to join them but didn't.

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face. **

The twins and other kids whooped with glee and _Harry_ noticed the dark-haired round face of Neville, suddenly realizing that he had been too quiet throughout the reading. He decided to attend to the matter later. Meanwhile, Dumbledore called for silence as Remus continued, grinning.

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap.**

**Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

**I want -" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes. **

McGonagall tsked in frustration while Snape realized that that was exactly what had happened with his letters when they had arrived. He brushed his self-pitying comments off from his mind though.

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot. **

**"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up."**

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him. **

"I'm glad we're not." Snape remarked distastefully.

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.**

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

"I can't believe this.." Tonks muttered, shaking her head. "Well, it's true." Harry said, having overheard.

"That was a rhetorical statement." Tonks replied.

"There is nothing such as a rhetorical statement Tonks, It's a rhetorical question." Remus butted in, as Hermione opened her mouth to probably say the same thing.

Tonks shot an irritated look at him and _Harry_ thought he saw anger repressed in her eyes. _But that couldn't be right.. No, he must have mistaken it.._

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

Everyone laughed freely. "She won't step into the kitchen in a hundered years I'm sure of that. But for these things.." Snape finished with a shake of his head, smiling slightly.

The look brought a big change on the man's face.

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**

**"No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today -"**

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. **

"Yes yes yes yes yes.. Now maybe you can finally get one!" _Hermione_ chirped excitedly.

**The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one.**

**"Out! OUT!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.**

Remus growled angrily but continued anyway.

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. **

"I agree with that." Dudley said, earning small smirks or smiles.

**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway.**

**Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. "Shake'em off... shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"Given his magical prejudice, his stupidity is quite amusing." Narcissa smirked heavily. No one said anything though Remus continued with a small knowing smile.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering...**

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**

**"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**Room 17**

**Railview Hotel**

**Cokeworth**

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.**

**"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

"When does this one finish? He's making this whole thing awful." Little Hermione pouted suddenly, perhaps she also wanted to find out what was in the letter. _Harry_ observed Draco silently as the young boy's eyes trained on the smaller version of his best friend and watched as he tried to control a smile. _Harry_ chuckled lowly to himself, though none noticed other than _Hermione_; thankfully, she didn't ask. "Soon" Remus replied and continued.

**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.**

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. **

"I realized a bit late, though I had the suspicion form this moment." Dudley said, smirking a little. He received looks back.

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dud ley sniveled.**

**"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television. "**

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday - and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television - then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. **

"That's great!"

"Related Happy Birthday Harry!"

_Hermione_ though, reacted much more strangely. "Harry! I never got to wish you your eleventh birthday! Happy Birthday!" she squealed and hugged him tightly.

"Herm! Can't- breathe!" he gasped. She relinquished her hold and sat back innocently.

"And anyway, you're six years late for that now, sorry." He said again, receiving a shrug in response. "Thank you everyone. Now please can we continue?" The others nodded amusedly again and Remus continued.

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun - last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

**Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

"I'm sure it's not a broom though." Bill said, grinning.

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"**

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there.**

**"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them.**

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.**

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas. **

"That is not even healthy food. Does he wish for all of you to die?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, looking disturbed.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up.**

**"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

Growls erupted again and _Harry_ privately felt thankful that he hadn't indulged about his life at the Dursleys to the Weasleys of his time.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now.**

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did.**

"I highly doubt your mental ability now Harry. Too strange thoughts." Hermione said, amused.

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.**

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?**

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds... twenty ... ten... nine - maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him - three... two... one...**

**BOOM.**

_Hermione_ slipped off her seat as she jumped, having been sitting too close on the edge. Remus was grinning impishly, enjoying surprising everyone as they shrieked in surprise.

"What did you that for?" Mrs. Weasley said faintly. And Remus just stared at her innocently with wide eyes. "It was in capitals." He said, blinking cutely.

_Harry_ laughed loudly, enjoying seeing this side of his mentor.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

Remus closed the book and placed it on the table between them. "What's the time?" he asked as he draped an arm over his eyes. A clock appeared on the wall directly opposite him and Mr. Weasley announced it for him. "It's around 2 o'clock in the afternoon I would guess Remus."

"Well, then I think we better had some lunch." Harry said and food appeared on the table again. This time, everyone piled some into plates and some stayed at the table, while some returned to their places.

Harry noticed Draco sitting with Narcissa in the corner and eyeing longingly the group of children who were sitting in the armchairs, talking- little Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, little Harry and Neville. He motioned to Narcissa to catch her attention and then nodded towards first Draco then at the kids. She understood in a moment and whispered something in Draco's ear. His face contorted into one of happiness before it changed to confusion and a hint of fear. He whispered something back to Narcissa and after a short conversation, he trudged off to join the others.

Harry watched with held breath when he joined the group and Neville, Luna, his younger self and Ginny shyly greeted him but then Ron looked like he wanted to argue. He then said something nasty which almost sent Draco back but Hermione intervened and Ron sat back grumbling. Then she introduced herself and Harry watched with amusement as Draco's attention was caught mostly by the young witch for most of the time he was there.

Beside him, Hermione made a weird noise and looked at her to be watching the group. "I see what you did there." She said, nodding towards Narcissa. Harry just smiled innocently in return and watched the children again.

In a moment, his gaze connected with Hermione's younger self and she blushed a little before excusing herself from the little meeting and came towards them. She approached her older self and Harry gratefully excused them to the Private Room to talk, hoping she would open up too(it hadn't missed his observation that Hermione's younger self also wasn't behaving much better than Neville). Meanwhile, he beckoned Neville over to him and he was deep red in colour when he reached. Harry made some small conversation with him, trying to ease him and in the way, also let slip some little facts like he had been a great friend and that his magic had improved a lot, also that in a way, he had saved his life in the future. At the end, Neville was a bunch of smiles and feeling the happiness radiating off him had Harry grinning too. He knew Neville was shy by nature but it would be better for him to mingle more with the others.

Soon, everyone came back to their places and Harry could feel the excitement radiating off most of them for the next chapter and inwardly, he was excited too.

Draco had exchanged seats with Tonks and now he sat next to Neville on a chair, which left Tonks sitting next to Narcissa. Both were trying their best to get along, and it looked like succeeding.

He handed the book to Narcissa and said, "I think it would be better if we read in turns now."

She accepted with a nod and the reading commenced again.

_There we go, another chapter done. My gracious thanks to all the amazing people who reviewed-_ _brebre9__, __oabf45__, __Padfootette__, __Amortentia-Malfoy__, __Guest__, __Iceflower__, __WildDragon26221__. _

_It sometimes saddens me that there are so many followers but so less reviewers. Anyway, thanks you to the above, I appreciate your support. _

_Also thanks to all who took the time reading this as well as readers who followed and favorite. Thank you all! _

_I hope this chapter was enjoyable. Leave a review to tell your opinion, I would love it _

_Aloha, _

_Evy._


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